KULIM (Bernama): It has taken Mohd Zairy Yusop three years of blood, sweat and tears to reach a point where he can be proud of his knife-making skills.
The 37-year-old from Kampung Permatang Tok Dik said he honed his blacksmithing skills by watching YouTube videos and knowledge passed down to him by a skilled blacksmith from another state.
He now earns enough money to meet his financial obligation to his wife and three children.
However, he admitted his wife showed concern for his new vocation in the early stage.
"My wife was worried because the knives I made in those early months were clunkers and much of the steel from a recycling facility was wasted. She even asked me to get a job with a permanent income," he said.
He told Bernama that his former job as a tree lopper stoked his interest in knife-making, and although his early stabs at making them fell flat, he stuck at it sacrificing his sleep and social life.
Now, he is able to sell his handmade slaughter and collectible knives, made the traditional way, for RM100-RM200 a piece, which brings him an income of about RM3,000 a month.
"I am not just busy blacksmithing and honing my skills in the day, but at night too! I can't sleep unless I produce a perfectly-made knife," he said.
There is now good demand for Mohd Zairy's knives and he gets orders from across the country because of their high quality and good finish.
"I spend two to three hours a day making certain they cut smoothly and are razor-sharp," he said, adding that his patience and perseverance bore fruit and his dream now is to expand his workshop. – Bernama
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